


A Different Life

by Sapphiremoonlight1



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Ai's keeping secrets, Aiballweek 2020, Dad/parental Guardian Kusanagi, Gen, How Do I Tag, Roboppi - Freeform, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphiremoonlight1/pseuds/Sapphiremoonlight1
Summary: Ai's always been in Yu's life, here are a few snapshots of their life together from Yu's point of viewAU/ Reborn - Day 4
Relationships: Ai | Ignis & Fujiki Yuusaku, Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku, Fujiki Yuusaku & Kusanagi Shouichi
Kudos: 16





	A Different Life

**Author's Note:**

> Author caves and lets Ai use honorifics and loosey includes japanese elements because next month is the Cherry Blossom Festival in my city and I'm excited for it.
> 
> This one is also long so I took it out of the rest.

It was one of the few days a year he didn't have to go to bed early but he was stuck spending his time dawdling while Jin got to run around with some friends. It wasn't fair! Just because he was younger than them didn't mean they should have left him behind. 

But they did and Kusanagi was too busy working to take him. At this rate it's gonna be another year where he gets stuck hanging out the truck while everyone else enjoys the Cherry Blossom festival. 

“I'm sorry Yu; I'll take you out when things start to slow down, I promise,” Kusanagi says ruffling Yusakus's hair before searching the cabinet over his head. Yeah sure, he said that last year too, and he was end falling asleep waiting. This year probably isn't going to be much different. Outside of the sweet aromas of taiyaki, Karumeyaki and a bunch of other desserts drifting towards them from some nearby food stands. He wasn't going to able to fall asleep with those tempting him. 

Resigned he leaned into the door frame looking over the crowd of happy people, over the strings of glowing lanterns towards the starry sky blanketing all of them. 

Amongst the clusters popped a streak of purple light that trailed over into the festival grounds. It was probably a stray firework, but he was too antsy to keep from wanting to investigate. It would only take him a few minutes. If he's quick enough he can sneak off and back without Kusanagi noticing. He'll take the whatever punishment he gets for running off, it's too boring just sitting here. 

Quietly he hops off the truck and creeps into the ground, glancing back a couple of times to see if Kusanagi noticed. When the man appeared to be occupied serving the crowd around him, Yusaku ran towards the tail of the light. In his excitement to have gotten away he occasionally bumped into a few people until the crowd thinned out around the border of the festival and the nearby forest. 

Kusanagi used to tell Jin and him scary stories about this forest. They would terrify Jin but they didn't bother Yusaku. He knew it was just to keep them from wandering off and getting injured. 

He probably should have listened to that warning. The deeper he ventured the denser and more sinister the forest around him started to be. The streak of light above him disappearing behind the canopy of leaves. 

His heart beating faster and faster until he needed to rest. Luckily or unluckily he found a creek in a small clearing before his legs gave out. Short of breath he fell down on top of a patch of stones along the creek. 

Something moves under his hand. The first time he thinks maybe it was just a bug trying to wiggle it's way free. Then it starts pushing on his hand like it's trying to move it. Frightened Yusaku moved his hand away to see whatever it was. 

Two small glowing circles were staring back at him. He found whatever was at the end of the purple streak.

* * *

“Are you sure about this?” he asks scanning over the chimera of broken doll pieces. 

“Yep!” Ai replies, his two golden eyes making up for his lack of a mouth. 

Yusaku was unsure about Ai's plan but he helped as much as he could anyway. If only to try to make the thing less terrifying to look at. 

He found the mischievous gremlin a few months ago and somehow Ai hadn't left. Yusaku didn't give Ai much of choice in coming home with him that night. Within minutes of seeing the purple creature he heard Kusanagi calling for him from a short distance away. Unconsciously he'd shoved Ai into his pocket before running back his worried guardian. Since then the creature had more than enough opportunities to leave if he wanted to but he stayed with Yusaku. 

That's how he ended up helping Ai create this monstrosity. How was this going to make the Kusanagi take the reveal any easier? The man was already concerned Yusaku was having social trouble, this might be the last straw before he sends Yusaku to some kind of boarding school. Or put him in a padded cell considering how objectively creepy it looked. 

“Don't worry so much Yu-chan,” Ai says waving the screwdriver in his hand at him. 

“If I end up in trouble for this, you'll end up on your own again,” he counters. The chime of the front door opening keeping Ai from making some kind of remark. 

“Yu! Diner!”Calls Kusanagi from the kitchen. 

With a quick glance back at Ai whose busy adjusting the old clothing draped over the doll, he runs off to join the other for diner. Hopefully, this goes over well. He doesn't want Ai to leave him. 

“Hey Yu!' Kusanagi greets looking pulling some containers out a few bags that were on the counter. It was just going to be them tonight. Jin was at a sleepover with some friends. 

“Hey,” he replies finding a seat at the table. Kusanagi puts down a couple of bowls of curry for the two of them before going back to the counter. 

“Since Jin's off having some fun tonight I figure we could have some of our own,” The man says putting down another container on the table and sliding it over to Yusaku. A few sticks of a dango popping out of it. “How's dessert and a couple movies sound?”

His reply died in his throat when he spotted Ai just beyond the doorway behind Kusanagi. The other catching Yusaku's surprise looks behind him. It was easy to tell when the man spotted Ai as the his eyes go from curious to horrified to concerned in an instant. 

“Yusaku,” the man says in that low worried toned that said they were in for a long talk. Not liking that he was being ignored, Ai uses the doll's damaged voice box to try to get their attention. 

“Hello, I'm am Ai,” Ai says using the rough electronic voice. Stiffly the doll walks closer to the table. Kusanagi looks down at it frowning, appearing to have something he wants to say but trying to keep it to himself. 

“It's nice to meet you,” Ai continues offering a small hand out for the man to shake. But the man ignores him and turns back to Yusaku ready to lecture him about how weird it was, he was. 

“Yusaku,” the man tries again but Ai kicks at his ankle annoyed.  
“It's not nice to ignore people,” Ai whines folding the dolls arms. 

“Maybe you should talk to him before assuming things about me,” Yusaku adds frowning. He got out of his seat to help Ai onto the table. Ai needed to explain this to Kusanagi in the same great vague exaggerated detail he told Yusaku a few months ago and it would be easier from a higher position than the floor. 

After a fairly painful start to the discussion the man seemed to have gotten passed the appearance of the doll to keep talking with Ai. By the end Yusaku thought they'd at least convinced Kusanagi he wasn't crazy. It helped that Ai popped out of the doll to show the man his real humanoid form. 

“Okay, you can keep him, but the that monstrosity needs to go!” They can live with that, despite Ai's protesting about the loss of all his hard work.

* * *

“Happy Birthday Yu,” Kusanagi, Jin and Ai cheered when they shoved the large box at him. 

It's been about week since they ganged up on him and outside of taking off the wrapping he hasn't had the time to open it, caught up in school work. Now that its the weekend Ai has been pestering him too. 

“Come on, I'll help you built it,” Ai pleads following after him on the way to get some breakfast. There is not way the little annoyance is going to stop pestering him about it. Yusaku found out quickly how stubborn Ai was back when they were building that nightmare of a doll. 

That's how they found themselves sitting in a mess of parts squabbling about how to put their current project together. In the background the tv playing announcement of Sol's latest project. 

Eventually, they managed to put the little blue robot together piece by piece.

“Aw Yu-chan is smiling, quick someone grab a camera!” Ai says eyes lifted up in excitement. Instead they share a sense of accomplishment over having built the little bot even if they just followed instructions. 

“Let's see if it works properly,” he says reaching for the on switch between the wheels. The robot makes a few noises that sound like it's starting up. After a few minutes it's screen flips on followed by two glowing orange eyes smiling the same way Ai's do. Yusaku smiles at the little bot while turning it upright. 

“Greetings Master, I am Roboppi,” it chirps happily. 

“Hello, Robooppi”

* * *

Some years pass and Kusanagi asks Yusaku to help man the truck during this years Cherry Blossom festival. Even if Yusaku's older, he still hasn't gotten the opportunity to enjoy that festival and now he was starting to feel too old to. 

But he doesn't complain, the bright lights and colors have lost their appeal along time ago. And with the money he'll get for helping out he can buy as much dessert as he wants from the supermarket. 

At least since it's a festival most of the crowd were too busy enjoying themselves to comment when he made an error on their order so the night was going smoothly enough. 

“When Jin comes back, you should go exploring,” Kusanagi says cleaning up the counter while they've got a minute. 

“I don't mind helping out,” he tries to say but the man gives him a look that says Yusaku is going to take a break whether or not he wanted to or not. Thankfully a group of teens comes by for some food to keep them occupied. 

Jin opens the backdoor to grab an apron. Seeing his younger brother, Kusanagi pushes Yusaku towards the door while pretending to be working on someone's order. He can hear Jin laughing at the interaction.

“He's right you know, you need to learn to enjoy yourself,” Jin says waiting for him to jump out. Silently he moves over to let the other get to work. There wasn't a lot of space in the truck, so Yusaku wouldn't be able to stubbornly find a way around this. 

Mindlessly he walked into the crowd trying to avoid the occasional drunk idiot. Being in crowded places was more hassle than it was ever worth. 

It would have been nice if Ai was here with him. The little gremlin had become his best friend since the first time he made his way around the this festival. But Kusanagi said Ai couldn't come because he'd attract to much attention and they didn't want someone to take Ai because they were curious. 

There wasn't any arguing with that, Ai was special. Even if Yusaku would never admit it out loud especially to Ai himself. Still it would have been nice to have some company. 

To late for that, though. Locating a vacant spot along the railing between the forest and the grounds he decides the best course of action for him would be to wait a while before going back to the truck. Bored, he turns towards the trees to see if he can spot some fireflies or a small animal, something to distract him while he's waiting. 

Then someone taps his shoulder trying to get his attention leading him to turn back around to see who it is. Bright gold eyes were staring at him. 

“Miss me Yu-chan?” the stranger says with a large goofy grin spread across his face. How did the stranger know him? He didn't look like anyone Yusaku knew from school. 

“Who are you?” he asks sliding against the railing to get some space between them.

“Don't tell me you can't recognize me,” the stranger gasps faking being hurt by the question. 

“It's me, your dear Ai-chan,” he continues gesturing towards himself like the elaborate purple and black yukata should have given him away. It didn't considering Ai,the little creature that he's lived with for years doesn't wear clothing most of the time.

“How?” he asks studying the stranger calling himself Ai. Positioned right on his neck is the indicator light for the new android Sol just put out. An strong contrast to the android's skin, however the familiar head shaped charms dangling from his ears stood out even more. 

Ai's goofy grins somehow widens even more pulls Yusaku back towards the bustling stands. Yusaku had too much fun playing games and participating in whatever activities they came across to ask again.

* * *

This is why Kusanagi's always on his case about working on his social skills more. Yeah, he was upset, but Ai was just trying to cheer him up. Albeit in the most over the top way possible as usual and Yusaku response had been to be as cruel as he could be in return.

“I'm sorry, I'll leave now,” Ai whispered eyes turning downcast as he walked out of their apartment in a hurry. The ridiculous custom he was wearing couldn't hide the trembling or heartbroken expression on his face. 

The harshness of his words didn't sink until the soft click of door closing reached him. By then it was too late. The outside hallway had been empty. Ai ran off somewhere and hasn't been home in almost a week. He didn't even send Yusaku a message or anything saying he that was alright. 

Because Ai was, whatever Ai was, he couldn't exactly report him as missing. Everyone else was either busy or told him not to worry so much about it. Kusanagi and Jin humored him enough to help search but they all came up with nothing. 

This was the first time wished he knew what Ai was. Yusaku tried asking a few times but Ai always skirted around giving him a direct answer in favor of making jokes about being some kind of alien. If that was the case Yusaku would honestly go looking for the spaceship but that was highly unlikely considering he runs around in modified Soltis. 

Speaking of Sol, After the week he's had all Yusaku's had the motivation to do all morning was to scroll through pointless articles online. A good number of them seemed to be about people losing their Soltis to thieves only to get them back due to Sol tracking down the Soltis for them while taking credit for catching criminals. 

If he were anymore cynical, he would think they were staging all the crimes for good publicity. Still though, if Ai's running around in the Soltis than he should be able to track him. 

That idea was motivating enough to get Yuskau moving. Enough for him to spend hours working through Sol's security so that he could track Ai without Sol noticing. Somehow all the doubts and holes in his plan didn't matter when a location was dinged. 

Standing outside the condemned warehouse made Yusaku question whether or not he should go in and find out if Ai was there or go home and wait for Ai instead. 

Against his better judgment he ducked under the caution tape and crept inside hoping this wasn't a mistake. The whole building didn't appear to be in very bad shape from the inside; covered in cobwebs and mice but otherwise if someone cleaned the place up it would be usable again. Except for an old metal elevator that was coated in shatter pieces of glass from a blow out sign. 

He went deeper into the building searching around, until a light down a hallway caught his attention. Most of the lights in the building were shattered and the rest barely worked but that one was still bright. 

Without thinking he ran straight down the hallway in the hope Ai was down there somewhere. At the end was a door the opened up to what probably had been the security room if the broken and twitching screens were anything to go by. He steps inside wondering how they still had power. 

“What are you doing here?” Asks a voice from behind him. Ai came sweeping through the doorway, the cape he had on flapping due to the motion. 

“What am I doing here? What are you doing here?!” 

“I was feeling nostalgic, it's been a long time since w'v-I've been here,”Ai answers scanning over the room. A strangely wistful note to his voice. “but that was a different life, why are you here Yusaku?” 

He's not sure what unnerved him more; the use of his actual name or how worn out Ai appeared to be. The Soltis were made to appear almost human, but times like these made it easy to forget Ai wasn't one. 

“I've been worried sick, you could have called me or messaged me saying you were alright!” He didn't mean to shout.

Ai flinched taking a step back, suddenly looking like had seen a ghost. “You said you wanted some space.” 

“I did, that didn't mean I wanted you go lurking around abandoned buildings just to avoid me!” The sense of dejavu he got from this place and Ai's current costume was starting to put him on edge. Neither of those were something he'd seen in his life. 

“I haven't been here the whole time. I spent most of it hiding out in the web. Only popped back because the security system sent out an alert that someone was here,” Ai says pointing towards a blinking red light above the screens. 

“Why would you even get an alert for this place?” As much as he wants to get on to apologizing for the fight, whatever Ai's hiding felt more important at the moment. 

“As I said, it was another life. I'm getting old, aren't I? Reminiscence on days long gone like this,” there's that wistful tone again. “Either way, you have your secrets and Ai have mine.” For now he'll put those questions aside with the one about what Ai is. It really isn't a discussion that should be having here. 

“Fine, but can we have this argument at home,” it was pleading, but he didn't want to be there anymore. 

“I thought you didn't want me around, I'm a pest remember.” Ai sneers folding his arms over his chest. 

“I-I-look you knew I was upset and you still had to do all that,” he tries to articulate whatever Ai had gone for with the kimono and elaborate make up. 

Present day Ai gazed down at the floor mildly ashamed. “True but you didn't have to be so cruel, I know I'm a clingy and a pest, I just never thought I'd hear it from you!” Ai clammed up as he finished that statement. 

“I'm sorry, but you need to let me deal with somethings on my own, you do act like a clingy partner sometimes.”

Ai flinched again spinning around on his heel trying to hide whatever he was going on inside his head. Then a thought struck Yusaku suddenly. 

“That's it, is it you actually did want to go on a date and you picked the worst possible way to ask me.” 

“I love you,” Ai sends a scolding glare over his shoulder “Not like that! Love in comes in different forms. I guess I was feeling a little possessive but I would like to spend the rest of my life with you; grow old, have an apartment full of cats, stuff like that.”

Yusaku can't help the laughter that comes out of his mouth. It was relieving knowing that the weird tension between them had faded. “One you can't grow old as far as I know, two I'm highly allergic to cats, and three at this point we've been together for how many decades now? I think we're stuck with each other.”In a flash Ai spun back around and flung himself at Yusaku, pulling him in an embrace. 

“Now that we've got that worked out, can we work out the rest at home, I'd rather not get arrested for trespassing,” he says trying to breath while Ai squeezes the air out of him. There were definitely a lot more details they would need to iron out but right he was content knowing the idiot was okay.

* * *

Ai's been at his side ever since Yusaku discovered Ai by the creek. In all that time Yusaku has no idea what Ai saw in the sullen child he used to be to make Ai want to stick around but he's grateful, nonetheless. Even now Ai was in the hospital visiting, armed with a scrapbook of pictures taken over the years. Though if he were to have one complaint, he misses seeing the little gremlin he brought home as a kid. Ai practically lives in the Soltis he acquires so he rarely sees his smaller form. 

“Ai,” he says trying to get the others attention. Ai smiles sadly down at the book before replying.

“Yes, Yu-chan?” 

“You promised you'd be alright when,” the sad glimmer in Ai's irises stopped him from finishing. He might miss the smaller form but this one was easier to read.

“Yes, I promised to look after myself when the time comes,” Ai swears, gently shutting the book. “Doesn't mean this doesn't suck and I'm totally getting my army of cats” 

“We knew it was going to happen eventually,” he sighs ignoring Ai's attempt to sidetrack him while Ai moves to place the book on the side-table next to them before snuggling against Yusaku. Over the years he's gotten used to the other being so touchy, it's been that way since Ai initially got the soltis. Yusaku can't help the smile spreading on his face thinking about the night Ai dragged him around the Cherry Blossom festival, making him participate in every different activity they could find. 

“What are you smiling about?" Ai asks, one eyebrow lifting up in curiosity. 

“Nothing, scoot over I want to lay down,” he says, lightly shoving at the android next to him. Ai complies without complaining unlike how he usually would. Then again he's been acting differently for awhile now. Yusaku settles down on his pillow hoping Ai will keep his word since he's too tired to argue about it with him again. 

“Meanie,” Ai huffs taking a seat next to the bed before reaching out to hold his hand. The world starts to fade again as he enjoys the sound of Ai's voice rambling him to sleep. 

“I'm thankful to have been given the chance to spend another lifetime with you,” Ai's voice chokes up in his throat. The grip on his hand tightened as he said the rest. “Goodnight Yusaku, hopefully we'll meet again.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well this turned into a monster, for more than one reason. Trying to find the right way to express their relationship in this story was kind of hard, I'm still not a hundred percent sure i got it across the way i meant it as.
> 
> That and the second to last chunk was the last part i wrote. I didn't like that i skipped from him vaguely as a teen or young adult to Yusaku dying so i wrote that bit to keep from having such as large jump but eh...  
> Also this made sad writing it T-T


End file.
